Greensmith Energy will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Azores

Greensmith Energy, a part of the technology group Wärtsilä, will deliver an integrated energy management system based on its Greensmith Energy Management System (GEMS) software for Graciolica Lda’s microgrid power facility in the Azores. When completed, Graciosa Hybrid Renewable Power Plant will enable 1 MW of solar and 4.5 MW of wind power to be supplied to the local electricity grid, reducing the islands’ reliance on imported fossil fuels and significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The order, placed by Portuguese project company Graciolica Lda and supported by its majority shareholder, Denmark based Recharge A/S was booked in December 2017.

The Graciosa Hybrid Renewable Power Plant, located on the island of Graciosa in the northern part of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, will combine solar and wind generation, together with energy storage using lithium-ion batteries supplied by Leclanché SA.

GEMS embodies intelligent energy applications that focus on monitoring and operating energy storage power plants and hybrid power plants formed by energy storage, thermal generation, wind and solar. GEMS, approved by Graciolica’s end client EDA, will balance the Graciosa power system to accommodate the inevitable fluctuations in output that are inherent to energy supplied from renewable sources, such as solar and wind.

“Our investment will help create a renewable energy asset that will deliver both economic and environmental benefits. This project represents the future direction of the global energy sector with an integrated power system combining renewables and energy storage. We appreciate Greensmith’s professionalism in providing the software needed to expand the functionality of the microgrid to create overall system reliability and performance,” said Scott Macaw, Director, Graciolica Lda and Recharge A/S.

“We are delighted to partner with Graciolica and Recharge on this important project in the Azores to enable the successful transition to renewable resources on an island grid,” said John Jung, President and CEO of Greensmith Energy. “Beyond the advanced energy storage technology we are known for, we help a growing number of power companies and developers integrate and maximize a diverse mix of grid resources using our industry-leading GEMS software platform.”

Greensmith will also provide software maintenance services under a five-year agreement. The plant is expected to become fully operational in mid-2018.